Aftershock
by Timbo
Summary: Sequel to "Escape from Caprica": Starbuck has returned to Galactica, now what?


Title: Aftershock (sequel to "Escape from Caprica")

Author: Timbo "tmhelbing at PG-13

Spoilers: All of season 1

Ship: Kara/Lee undertones but nothing too shippy

Archive: BSG2003 ok, others please ask.

Disclaimer: I don't own em' Universal does. Don't sue! Thanks go out to Anacalime, Kathy & Kylen for betaing.

Summary: Starbuck's made it back to the _Galactica_, now what?

AFTERSHOCK

Kara blinked and put a hand to her eyes as she stepped through the hatch of the stolen Cylon transport and into the brilliantly lit hanger bay. She'd told Helo and the Cylon to stay behind on the transport while she faced the music, and she'd call for them once she'd explained the situation to the Old Man.

The familiar sounds and smells of a working Battlestar assaulted her senses, and nearly overwhelmed her after the trials she'd experienced over the past week on Caprica. _I'm home_. She blinked back a suspicious moisture coming from her eyes and wiped it away with the back of her hand before taking a good look around.

The expected marines were just a few feet away, she was glad to see that CIC had listened to her when she said they would be needed. The military radio they'd lifted from Delphi airfield had come in handy once they made the jump, and had kept them from getting blown into microscopic particles by the CAP. There was no way she could have outmaneuvered them in that tub of a transport. The controls were so sluggish compared to a Viper or Raider that it felt like she was trying to fly a crate.

Colonel Tigh was standing with the marines and she couldn't quite read the expression on his face. If he was inscrutable though, the marines were anything but. Their weapons tracked her as she stepped out of the transport and made her way over to Tigh. _The marines are awfully twitchy, more than I would be if the situation were reversed. Something's happened since I left. _She glanced around subtly, and could see the various members of the deck crew watching nearby, not even pretending to work. The two people she wanted to see most were nowhere to be found. _Where's Lee? I would think the CAG would be here, to chew out his 'screw-up' pilot if nothing else. Is he that pissed at me for everything that he wouldn't show up? Lords, I know I hurt him but I didn't know it was that bad. Maybe the Commander sent the XO in his place. Tigh is just itching to toss me in the Brig and throw away the key._

Kara ignored the marines and stopped two paces in front of Tigh before coming to attention and saluting. She tried hard, but couldn't quite keep the smirk off her face when she addressed him: "Lt. Thrace reporting back with a detachment of two, sir. One recovered MIA and one Cylon prisoner." Kara hoped she sounded formal and serious, but she was damned tired and sometimes she couldn't help herself when she was like this.

Tigh regarded her coolly and let her hang for several seconds before returning her salute. He looked her up and down. Kara knew she must look like death warmed over, she was filthy, covered in dried blood and bruises, and she hadn't been able to hide the slight limp in the steps that brought her from the transport to his position.

"Very well Lieutenant," Tigh responded with equal formality "You are relieved of your detachment." He relaxed slightly and looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite make out. Was that respect? _Nah, you're imagining things Thrace. _

"You look like hell, Starbuck."

Kara grinned viciously and a wolfish chuckle escaped her throat. "You should see the other guy, sir." She thought of the blond Cylon bitch as she'd last seen it, dead with a rebar sticking out its chest, and chuckled again.

"Uh huh," Tigh looked dubious. "Who is the recovered MIA?"

"Lt. Agathon, Sir, Helo, Boomer's ECO." Kara stepped closer and lowered her voice "Sir, I need to speak with you privately, there's something you need to know."

Tigh stared at her briefly, as if making up his mind, then: "Follow me." He moved about a dozen paces away from the marines and waited for Kara to follow.

"All right Lieutenant, what is it you needed to tell me?"

She kept her voice low to make sure that only he would be able hear "Sir, Boomer's a Cylon. The prisoner is another copy Helo found on Caprica a few days after he stayed behind." She noted that Tigh didn't seem especially surprised at the revelation and her anxiety went up a notch. _Oh gods, what's happened? _She took a deep breath, winced at the action, and continued on "There's one other thing you need to know before you do anything sir, it ah…" she stopped and shook her head angrily at herself. _Just say it dam it!_

"Ah, it claims that it's pregnant with his child, and he believes it." Kara said as neutrally as she could, still trying to come to grips with the implications of the whole thing even after a week.

_That_got his attention. His mouth opened and closed a few times with no sound coming out, and his eyebrows looked like they wanted to keep climbing right off his forehead. "Pregnant?"

"Yes, sir. I think Helo's been subject to a mind frak the whole time he was back on Caprica. I don't pretend to understand what's going on sir, all I know is what Helo and the toaster have told me." She thought for a second, then added, "Now that I think about it sir, I think our whole escape was too easy. They must have wanted us to escape, but I haven't a frakkin' clue why."

Tigh took it all in, and Kara thought she could see glimmers of the officer he must have been before the drink took hold of him. _Perhaps that's why the Old Man kept him around._ He looked past her towards the hatch of the transport, and motioned the marines to move forward. "Thank you for the information Lieutenant, we'll discuss this at length shortly, I guarantee it. Now, why don't you have Helo and the prisoner come out?"

"Yes, sir" She turned, put her fingers to her lips and whistled loudly. "Sharon" emerged first, to gasps all around the hanger bay from those who were watching the drama unfold. The Cylon had her good hand on her head, her other arm still in its sling. Helo emerged directly behind her, his pistol pointed at her head. The Cylon looked terrified. Helo just seemed drained.

"Sergeant, escort the prisoner to sickbay and tell the Doctor I want a full physical conducted as well as treating its wounds. I'll contact him later to fill him in on the rest." Tigh told the head of the marine detachment.

"Yes Sir!" The marines quickly took "Sharon" into custody and hustled her out of the hanger deck while Helo came up to Kara's side and saluted Tigh.

"Welcome back, Lt. Agathon. It's good to have you back with us." The XO told him, returning his salute and shaking his hand.

"Thank you, sir, it's good to be home." Helo told him tiredly, and looked over at Kara "I was damn lucky I ran into Starbuck at the museum or I'd probably still be on Caprica."

"That's right, the museum," Tigh turned his attention back to Kara. "Did you find what you were looking for at the museum, Lieutenant Thrace?"

Kara grinned at him and took the knapsack Helo'd carried in his other hand. She opened it and triumphantly took out the arrow. "I brought home the cat, sir."

"So I see," Tigh told her "That probably just saved your ass, Starbuck, I don't think the President would be so willing to defend you if you came back empty handed."

"Yes sir," she replied, then frowned "Sir, why haven't you ordered Lt. Valerii taken into custody yet? We have a Cylon that looks like her identical twin."

Tigh's expression instantly changed to a mixture of pain and anger "That won't be necessary. Lt. Valerii took her own life…right after she attempted to take the Commander's by putting two slugs into his chest."

"What!" Helo's voice was strangled, but Kara couldn't find the breath to speak as the blood drained from her face. _Oh gods, what have I done?_ After everything she'd been through, to come home and find the Old Man… _don't think like that Kara, you heard Tigh, 'attempted.' He's not dead… _

It took her several seconds before she trusted herself to speak "When?"

"About three hours after you left." Tigh told her, grim faced. "He nearly bled out on the chart table in CIC. The docs managed to save him, but he's still in critical condition in Sickbay. They think he'll make it but he's got a long convalescence ahead of him."

Kara nodded shakily, and looked Tigh square in the eye: "Permission to visit Sickbay before heading to the brig, sir?"

"You won't be going to the brig, Starbuck." His scowl suggested the words tasted extremely foul in his mouth, and Kara couldn't believe her ears. _This is insane, Tigh passing up a golden opportunity to throw me in the brig? I don't believe it._

"Oh, nothing would give me more pleasure, to be sure," he told her, reading her expression, "but there are two reasons I won't do it: First: President Roslin has issued a public statement about how she overrode the Commander and ordered you to take the Raider to Caprica to retrieve the arrow. She stated that the information in the Tomb of Athena would provide a quicker and safer route to Earth than the one the Commander knew about, and that was too important not to take the risk."

Kara opened her mouth to protest but Tigh raised his hand and cut her off before she could start "we both know that's so much daggit shit, but it's out there in public and we can't say otherwise without exposing everything. Second: Aside from Apollo you're the most experienced pilot I have left and the only certified combat flight instructor. I can't afford to waste your talent by throwing you in the brig; I need you out here."

Kara didn't know what to say, so she simply stared at him mutely. _Who is this and what has he done with Colonel Tigh?_

Tigh straightened and glared at her "Though from now on Lieutenant, you are going to toe the line. You owe me on this and I intend to collect. You _will_ be a model officer and pilot. You _will_ obey orders and not be insubordinate to your superiors. You will _not_ give the Commander any more heartburn while he recovers or so help me, I _will_ toss your sorry ass out the nearest airlock no matter how badly the fleet needs your skills. Are we clear Lieutenant?"

Kara came to a textbook perfect position of attention and saluted "Sir, yes, sir. Clear as crystal, sir." She wasn't sure she could pull off what Tigh was asking of her, but she'd give it her best shot. For the Old Man, she'd do anything.

Tigh returned it, and growled "Now get off the hanger deck and over to Sickbay to get checked out. You too, Helo. Report to me in CIC when the docs are finished with you and we'll have a more formal debriefing. Dismissed."

The next thing Kara knew, she was standing in front of the hatch to sickbay. She didn't remember the trip from the hanger deck, she was there and now she was here. Now that she'd made it, she found herself unable to take that extra step and open the hatch to go through.

"Starbuck?" Helo waved a hand in front of her eyes "Anyone home in there? We've been standing out here for a bit now, don't you think we ought to go in?"

_I can't go in there. I can't face Lee or the Old Man right now. What would I say? I'd probably just frak everything up like I always do when things get all weepy. Nope, can't face them right now._

"Tigh ordered us to get checked out," Helo reminded her.

_Frak Tigh…ugh, bad thought! Bad Kara! Bad Kara! That mental picture must be expunged…_Kara shuddered. "He didn't say we had to do it right away," she ignored his dubious look, "I'd rather not go in looking like a refuge and stinking so bad that they could smell me two compartments away. It won't take that long to get cleaned up," _and try and get my head screwed on straight _"C'mon Helo, whaddya say? A hot shower and a clean uniform will do wonders for that scruffy exterior of yours."

He shook his head "Starbuck, only you can twist orders around to make them say what you want them to say. I want to check in on Sh- the Cylon and see how the wound is doing, its been a week since I shot it after all." He hesitated, and then asked "Don't you want to see how the Old Man is doing? I know you two are close, and that you're old friends with the new CAG."

Kara just stared at him, not trusting herself to speak. He sighed in exasperation and made a shooing gesture with his hands "Go, have it your way Starbuck. I'll make excuses with the doc for you, but if you aren't down here in half an hour I'm going to drag you back down kicking and screaming if I have to. Someone has to save you from yourself."

She grinned at him and punched him lightly in the arm "Thanks Helo, I owe you one. I'll be down in a few, honest." Just as soon as I can face them without losing it.

Pilot quarters were mercifully empty when she got there. _Thanks Lords, that's another one I owe you! _The last thing she wanted to do was talk to anyone. She dumped her gear on her bunk and placed the arrow on top, then opened her locker. _Gods it'll be good to get clean again! _

The picture stopped her dead in her tracks. Lee's eyes seemed to glare out at her accusingly. "It's not my fault!" she insisted to the photo, "I wasn't even here." _Exactly,_ Lee seemed to say. She grabbed the soap, shampoo and towel, and then slammed the locker shut angrily before storming off to the head. The bloodstained and filthy clothing was quickly shed in the outer chamber and kicked to the side before she went into the shower bay.

_It isn't my fault! _Kara repeated the mantra over and over as she scrubbed, trying desperately to feel clean. _How was I supposed to know that Sharon was a Cylon? What would I have done? What could I have done? The plan for the Raider wouldn't have prevented that from happening, guess who would have picked me up? Good ol' Boomer and Crashdown._ She almost believed it.

As much as Kara wanted to stay under the warm spray of the shower, the military side of her took over and automatically shut off the water once the last of the dirt and soap had washed off her now squeaky-clean body. The urge to be economical with water on board ship was so ingrained that she couldn't stop it even when she wanted to. She quickly toweled off and wrapped it around herself for the trek back to her locker and a fresh uniform.

_I almost feel normal again._ The thought cheered her. She'd been so focused the past week on getting off Caprica and back home to the _Galactica_ that everything else had faded into insignificance during that time. Now that she was back and was met with the news about the Old Man (from Tigh no less!) she was at a loss for how to go forward from here.

Kara stepped into Pilots Quarters and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her. Lee was leaning against the table, facing the hatch to the head, and between her and her bunk. _Play it cool, Thrace. _

"Hey Lee," she tried to sound normal, but it was hard, damn hard, with the way he was staring at her.

"Kara" his voice was raspy, the tone flat and unemotional, but his eyes spoke volumes and Kara shivered at the emotions swirling in them. It put her on the defensive, and she hated that feeling.

"Seen my new toy? I admit it isn't as flashy as the Raider but…" she tried to brush past him to get at her bunk, but he caught her arm. She glared at him, but his expression was determined and there was no give at all in that grip.

"Lee" her tone a warning as her other hand went to secure the top of the towel, which was threatening to come undone. She tried to pull out of his grasp, but he wouldn't let go.

"Why, Kara?"

"Because if you don't I'll wind up in the brig and you'll have a busted jaw. That would be a real bummer for both of us, wouldn't it?"

"Always a joke with you, isn't it Kara?"

"I'm not joking Lee," purposely misreading him, welcoming the anger she saw in his eyes, "I don't know about you but the last week has been absolute hell for me and it hasn't gotten much better so far. If you don't move your arm I swear I'm going to move it for you."

"Dammit Kara!" he growled "Stop frakking around and talk to me! You take off on a suicide mission without telling anyone, we don't know if you're alive or dead, then Dad gets shot. I had to sit here for a week, going out of my mind worrying about you both. He nearly dies, you come back from the dead and I have to find that out from somebody I hardly know. I come down here and you just make jokes!" he grabbed her other arm when she swung and pushed it down, bringing her up against him and holding her tight.

Kara struggled and tried to knee him in the groin, but he anticipated her and managed to block her. Talking was the last thing she wanted to do, but it seemed she'd have little choice this time.

"Talk to me Kara, don't shut me out." Lee pleaded, "Haven't we done enough of that to each other?"

That did it. She couldn't block him out, not after everything they'd been through. Not with him practically begging her. It was _Lee, _of all people.

She found herself with her head against his shoulder, her tears soaking the fabric of his uniform. It was all just too much; she couldn't hold it in anymore, not with him begging her. The loss of the Colonies and her shipmates, the crash, the betrayal by the Old Man and the return to Caprica, the fight with the blond Cylon bitch, realizing Boomer was a Cylon, the final straw of learning the Commander had been shot, everything just seemed to crash back down on her at once and she couldn't hold it in anymore.

After a moment she looked up at Lee's moist eyes and smiled at him through her sniffles.

"I'm sorry," they said simultaneously, looked at each other and started giggling hysterically.

"I'm sorry Kara," Lee told her, tilting her chin up, "I shouldn't have jumped on you like that on the Hanger Deck."

"Damn right you shouldn't have," Kara said righteously, and they both chuckled again.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I was planning, I'm sorry you had to worry about me when you were going through this with your Dad, and I'm sorry I didn't see you first. I'm not sorry that I went, it was the right thing to do, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so," he told her, "but I don't give a frak about the arrow. I'm just glad to have you back."

"I'm back, but if I want to stay out of the brig, I need to get dressed and get down to Sickbay before Tigh changes his mind."

"That would be a very good idea, Lieutenant," They both jumped at the sound of Tigh's voice and turned to see the XO standing at the main hatch, Helo just behind him.

Tigh looked them over bemusedly. "I know you love the brig, Starbuck, but are you in that much of a hurry to visit?"

"No sir," Kara replied, mortified, "No excuse, sir."

"At least you're honest, I'll give you that. In the future, Lieutenant, do not try to interpret my orders, just obey them."

"Yes, sir."

"I ought to have you go to Sickbay in that towel, but I'm willing to admit I'd probably want to do the same thing if I'd been in your shoes. Now get dressed and get to Sickbay for the doc to take a look at you. If you aren't there in ten minutes you can just report to the brig, clear?"

"Clear, sir."

"Then I'll leave you to it." He turned his attention to Lee. "Come along, Captain."

End


End file.
